Effective Monday, June 14, the Metro Nashville Board of Education has adopted a new mask protocol for the Promising Scholars program to allow students and staff to remove them outdoors and while socially distanced in classrooms. Students and staff will still be required to wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible, such as when transitioning, on buses, and in large gatherings, and students with underlying medical conditions are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings at all times until fully vaccinated.
“Masks have been an important safety measure in our efforts to combat the pandemic caused by COVID-19, and we will continue to highly encourage them and employ them in strategic ways to reduce the possible spread or transmission of the virus in our buildings,” said Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle. “Our updated protocols reflect the changing conditions in our buildings, moving to a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio during Promising Scholars, as well as the continued reduction in community transmission of the virus throughout Davidson County.”
The change in protocol is in part due to the reduced spread of COVID-19 in Davidson County since the Metro Public Health Department lifted mask requirements on Friday, May 14. The 7-day average of cases per 100,000 residents is at its lowest rate since March of 2020, and the COVID-19 risk score that the district established to determine whether it was safe to allow in-person learning options has declined to 1.3 out of 10.
“I applaud Dr. Battle’s measured approach to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and keeping students safe,” said Dr. James Hildreth, President and CEO of Meharry Medical College and member of the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. “I’m strongly encouraged by the decline in COVID-19 cases throughout the community and encourage everyone who is eligible for a vaccine to do so in order to further stop this virus and enable a return to normalcy.”
Metro Schools is offering a summer learning program that started on Monday, June 7, called Promising Scholars to provide for academic growth opportunities for students in grades K-8 and credit recovery options for those in high school. Based on state law, the average class size will be a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for greater social distancing opportunities throughout the district while students are in classrooms.
MNPS will continue offering the opportunity to participate in a random COVID testing program offered through our partnership with Meharry, as well as contact tracing through our student nurse program to identify close contacts and implement quarantines in the event a student or staff member tests positive for the virus. The district will continue to monitor data and updated health protocols to develop safety-focused policies throughout the summer and into the 2021-22 school year.